Dreaming of a warm, spring afternoon

My friend told me how brutal the winters were there. Everything from mountains of snow and ice, to vehicles not starting because of the cold (even with new batteries) to below zero wind chills to a level of chill that I can’t imagine.

And you know what? I didn’t argue with him at all. I wouldn’t make it in the Northern part of our country or in Canada or anywhere else where it feels like living inside a freezer. I might make it for a visit in the middle of summer, but that would be the limit.

In fact, the brutal weather which has moved in and taken hold on us in recent days has been tough for me to deal with. I don’t mind cool weather, but this is ridiculous. Quite frankly, it’s too cold. I can’t take much more of this. When does spring arrive?

I know I will complain about the Georgia summer when it arrives, but boy what I wouldn’t give for a nice 80-degree day right now.

Spring seems light years away but there are simply so many things better about that time of year.

Some include:

•Seeing the trees in full bloom and the colorful beauty they bring.

•The house with a colorful landscape with flowers of every shape, size and description catching your eye as you drive by.

•A lawn which is a nice shade of green and has had enough rain for it to remain so after it has been mowed.

•The return of days in which darkness does not settle in before you make it home from work.

•Being able to wear short sleeves and not have to worry about needing a jacket.

•Not having to listen to the weather for freeze warnings.

•Not having to worry about the pipes freezing, even though I don’t think mine ever have.

•Not worrying about my outside plants.

•Not having to worry about animals with no shelter.

•Being able to bask in the spring sunlight at a local high school baseball game.

•Being able to wash your vehicle without your hands feeling like they have been inside your freezer.

•Beginning to think about your annual summer vacation, which for me means a trek to the mountains.

•Being closer to taking a swim at a residence of a local family who has welcomed me into their ranks.

•Being able to talk about spring football practice, which means we are halfway to the start of a new season.

•Having more energy which naturally seems to happen when the weather is warmer.

•Not hearing the roar of the heater as it runs all night in an attempt to keep the house warm.

•getting closer to celebrating another birthday.

Oh, spring, please get here soon.

Chris Bridges is an editor with MainStreet Newspapers lnc. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.